Antiquities Book 5, Chapter 10
Concerning The Birth Of Samuel; And How He Foretold The Calamity That Befell The Sons Of Eli.
1. And now upon the ill state of the affairs of the Hebrews, they made
war again upon the Philistines. The occasion was this: Eli, the high
priest, had two sons, Hophni and Phineas. These sons of Eli were guilty
of injustice towards men, and of impiety towards God, and abstained from
no sort of wickedness. Some of their gifts they carried off, as
belonging to the honorable employment they had; others of them they took
away by violence. They also were guilty of impurity with the women that
came to worship God at the tabernacle, obliging some to submit to their
lust by force, and enticing others by bribes; nay, the whole course of
their lives was no better than tyranny. Their father therefore was angry
at them for such their wickedness, and expected that God would suddenly
inflict his punishments upon them for what they had done. The multitude
took it heinously also. And as soon as God had foretold what calamity
would befall Eli's sons, which he did both to Eli himself and to Samuel
the prophet, who was yet but a child, he openly showed his sorrow for
his sons' destruction.
2. I will first despatch what I have to say about the prophet Samuel,
and after that will proceed to speak of the sons of Eli, and the
miseries they brought on the whole people of the Hebrews. Elcanah, a
Levite, one of a middle condition among his fellow citizens, and one
that dwelt at Ramathaim, a city of the tribe of Ephraim, married two
wives, Hannah and Peninnah. He had children by the latter; but he loved
the other best, although she was barren. Now Elcanah came with his wives
to the city Shiloh to sacrifice, for there it was that the tabernacle of
God was fixed, as we have formerly said. Now when, after he had
sacrificed, he distributed at that festival portions of the flesh to his
wives and children, and when Hannah saw the other wife's children
sitting round about their mother, she fell into tears, and lamented
herself on account of her barrenness and lonesomeness; and suffering her
grief to prevail over her husband's consolations to her, she went to the
tabernacle to beseech God to give her seed, and to make her a mother;
and to vow to consecrate the first son she should bear to the service of
God, and this in such a way, that his manner of living should not be
like that of ordinary men. And as she continued at her prayers a long
time, Eli, the high priest, for he sat there before the tabernacle, bid
her go away, thinking she had been disordered with wine; but when she
said she had drank water, but was in sorrow for want of children, and
was beseeching God for them, he bid her be of good cheer, and told her
that God would send her children.
3. So she came to her husband full of hope, and ate her meal with
gladness. And when they had returned to their own country she found
herself with child, and they had a son born to them, to whom they gave
the name of Samuel, which may be styled one that was asked of God. They
therefore came to the tabernacle to offer sacrifice for the birth of the
child, and brought their tithes with them; but the woman remembered the
vows she had made concerning her son, and delivered him to Eli,
dedicating him to God, that he might become a prophet. Accordingly his
hair was suffered to grow long, and his drink was water. So Samuel dwelt
and was brought up in the temple. But Elcanah had other sons by Hannah,
and three daughters.
4. Now when Samuel was twelve years old, he began to prophesy: and once
when he was asleep, God called to him by his name; and he, supposing he
had been called by the high priest, came to him: but when the high
priest said he did not call him, God did so thrice. Eli was then so far
illuminated, that he said to him, "Indeed, Samuel, I was silent now as
well as before: it is God that calls thee; do thou therefore signify it
to him, and say, I am here ready." So when he heard God speak again, he
desired him to speak, and to deliver what oracles he pleased to him, for
he would not fail to perform any ministration whatsoever he should make
use of him in;—to which God replied, "Since thou art here ready, learn
what miseries are coming upon the Israelites,—such indeed as words
cannot declare, nor faith believe; for the sons of Eli shall die on one
day, and the priesthood shall be transferred into the family of Eleazar;
for Eli hath loved his sons more than he hath loved my worship, and to
such a degree as is not for their advantage." Which message Eli obliged
the prophet by oath to tell him, for otherwise he had no inclination to
afflict him by telling it. And now Eli had a far more sure expectation
of the perdition of his sons; but the glory of Samuel increased more and
more, it being found by experience that whatsoever he prophesied came to
pass accordingly. 22
war again upon the Philistines. The occasion was this: Eli, the high
priest, had two sons, Hophni and Phineas. These sons of Eli were guilty
of injustice towards men, and of impiety towards God, and abstained from
no sort of wickedness. Some of their gifts they carried off, as
belonging to the honorable employment they had; others of them they took
away by violence. They also were guilty of impurity with the women that
came to worship God at the tabernacle, obliging some to submit to their
lust by force, and enticing others by bribes; nay, the whole course of
their lives was no better than tyranny. Their father therefore was angry
at them for such their wickedness, and expected that God would suddenly
inflict his punishments upon them for what they had done. The multitude
took it heinously also. And as soon as God had foretold what calamity
would befall Eli's sons, which he did both to Eli himself and to Samuel
the prophet, who was yet but a child, he openly showed his sorrow for
his sons' destruction.
2. I will first despatch what I have to say about the prophet Samuel,
and after that will proceed to speak of the sons of Eli, and the
miseries they brought on the whole people of the Hebrews. Elcanah, a
Levite, one of a middle condition among his fellow citizens, and one
that dwelt at Ramathaim, a city of the tribe of Ephraim, married two
wives, Hannah and Peninnah. He had children by the latter; but he loved
the other best, although she was barren. Now Elcanah came with his wives
to the city Shiloh to sacrifice, for there it was that the tabernacle of
God was fixed, as we have formerly said. Now when, after he had
sacrificed, he distributed at that festival portions of the flesh to his
wives and children, and when Hannah saw the other wife's children
sitting round about their mother, she fell into tears, and lamented
herself on account of her barrenness and lonesomeness; and suffering her
grief to prevail over her husband's consolations to her, she went to the
tabernacle to beseech God to give her seed, and to make her a mother;
and to vow to consecrate the first son she should bear to the service of
God, and this in such a way, that his manner of living should not be
like that of ordinary men. And as she continued at her prayers a long
time, Eli, the high priest, for he sat there before the tabernacle, bid
her go away, thinking she had been disordered with wine; but when she
said she had drank water, but was in sorrow for want of children, and
was beseeching God for them, he bid her be of good cheer, and told her
that God would send her children.
3. So she came to her husband full of hope, and ate her meal with
gladness. And when they had returned to their own country she found
herself with child, and they had a son born to them, to whom they gave
the name of Samuel, which may be styled one that was asked of God. They
therefore came to the tabernacle to offer sacrifice for the birth of the
child, and brought their tithes with them; but the woman remembered the
vows she had made concerning her son, and delivered him to Eli,
dedicating him to God, that he might become a prophet. Accordingly his
hair was suffered to grow long, and his drink was water. So Samuel dwelt
and was brought up in the temple. But Elcanah had other sons by Hannah,
and three daughters.
4. Now when Samuel was twelve years old, he began to prophesy: and once
when he was asleep, God called to him by his name; and he, supposing he
had been called by the high priest, came to him: but when the high
priest said he did not call him, God did so thrice. Eli was then so far
illuminated, that he said to him, "Indeed, Samuel, I was silent now as
well as before: it is God that calls thee; do thou therefore signify it
to him, and say, I am here ready." So when he heard God speak again, he
desired him to speak, and to deliver what oracles he pleased to him, for
he would not fail to perform any ministration whatsoever he should make
use of him in;—to which God replied, "Since thou art here ready, learn
what miseries are coming upon the Israelites,—such indeed as words
cannot declare, nor faith believe; for the sons of Eli shall die on one
day, and the priesthood shall be transferred into the family of Eleazar;
for Eli hath loved his sons more than he hath loved my worship, and to
such a degree as is not for their advantage." Which message Eli obliged
the prophet by oath to tell him, for otherwise he had no inclination to
afflict him by telling it. And now Eli had a far more sure expectation
of the perdition of his sons; but the glory of Samuel increased more and
more, it being found by experience that whatsoever he prophesied came to
pass accordingly. 22